Circuit-breaker for gas-engines.



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(Appumion med Nov. e, 1997.)

2 Shasta-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

No. 648,520. Patented May I, i900.

. J. A. USTENBERG.

CIRCUIT BBEAKEB FOR GAS ENGINES.

(Application led Nov. 6, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No M'odel.)

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Wmv/gi STATES PATENT OrrlcN JOHN A. OSTENBERG, OF VESTMINSTER, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO FRED- ERICK M. GILBERT, OF VVALPOLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,520, dated May 1, 1900. Application filed November B, 18977.y Serial No. 657,635. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom zt may concern.-

Bo it known that I, JOHN A. OsrENBERe, of l/Vestminster, county of Windham, and State of Vermont, have invented an Improvement in Circuit-Breakers for Gas-Engines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The present invention relates to a circuitbreaker, and is embodied in a circuit-breaker especially adapted for use as an igniting device for explosion-engines.

' In accordance with the invention the separable terminals which produce the spark are normally yieldingly held in contact with each other as by a weight or spring and are provided with an actuating device for separating the same in order to produce a spark. The said actuating device is arranged to first separate the terminals and in its continued movement to control the restoration thereof, so that it is practicable to separate and restore the terminals at any rate of movement thereof which may be desired.

In circuit-breakers which are intendedfor the production of a spark it is desirable that the terminals should be separated to a considerable extent with a rapid and sudden movement to produce the spark, it being fur-` ther desirable, however, that they should be restored with a gradual .movement in order not to come together with a shock, whichin the operation of a gas-engine, for example, soon Wears out the terminals, so that they have to be renewed. These ends canbe accomplished in accordance with the present invention by so arranging the' terminals with relation to the actuating device that they are separated to the maximum extent during a comparatively-short part of the movement of the actuating device and are restored as gradually as may be desired under the sub.- sequent control of the actuating device in accordance with the invention.

The invention is herein shown as applied to a gas-engine, which forms the subject of another application filed by me June l, 1897, Serial No. 638,941, and while igniting devices embodying the essential features of the n present invention may obviously be used with any explosion-engine the invention will be described as applied to the particular engine aforesaid. In this engine the actuating device for the igniter is arranged to travel, as will be hereinafter described, in a curved path, and to adapt the igniter to the peculiar movement of the actuator the movable terminal thereof is herein shown as mounted on a rock-shaft extending through a wall of the explosion-chamber, the said rock-shaft having a lever-arm extending into or across the path of travel of the said actuator. The said lever-arm is provided with a shoulder which is near the rock-shaft, upon which the lever is mounted and which is substantially transverse to the path of the the actuating device aforesaid. As the said actuating device passes the rock-shaft, therefore, it will engage the said shoulder substantially at a right angle thereto and rock the shaft upon which the lever and terminal are mounted until the edge of the shoulder, which travels on an arc, meets the path of the actuator, the rapidity of movement of the terminal depending upon the distance of the part of the shoulder which is first engaged from the axis on which the terminal moves. The said lever-arm is further provided With a supplemental engaging surface beyond the shoulder, along which the actuating device travels, the terminal being provided with restoring means, such as a spring, 'but being controlled in its movement in response thereto by the engagement of the supplemental engaging surface with the actuator, thesaid supplemental surface being so shaped with relation to the path of movement of the actuator that the terminal will come in contact with its mate before said surface is left by the actuator, thus insuring a comparatively slow and gradual movement.

Figure l is a side elevation of a gas-engine having the igniting device which forms the subject of the present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the explosion-chamber of the said engine, showing the fixed and movable terminals of the igniting device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the igniter shown in Fig. l; Fig. 4, a

top plan view of the same; Fig. 5, a sectional IOO ` agency of the terminals.

the said actuator comprises an arm provided elevationon line x5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the parts in another position.

The igniting device which formsthe subject of the invention comprises, essentially, the terminals a and b Within the explosionchamber at the end of the cylinder A ofthe engine, the terminal a being shown as fixed and the terminal b as movable and the actuating device c adapted, as will be hereinafter described, to break the circuit through the As herein shown,

at oneend with an engaging projection d to coperate with the movable terminal of the circuit-breaker and at its opposite end with an eccentric-strap c2, cooperating with an eccentric B2 on the'shaft B of the engine. The said arm c is connected at an intermediate point with a cross-head .c3 by a pivotal connection c4, the said cross-head being adapted to move vertically in suitable guides, the said guides being herein shown as consisting of the reciprocating members of a water and gasolene pump, respectively, as described in my prior application above referred to. In the rotation of the shaft B, therefore, it will be seen that the engaging projection. d of lthe actuating device will travel in a curved path, the igniting device forming the subject of the invention being shown as arranged and adapted to be operated by an actuating device traveling in this way, although such specific arrangement of the actuating device is notessential to the invention.

In order that the movement of the engaging projection d may atl the proper time cause t-he separation of the terminals a and b, the

vlatter is shown as mounted on a rock-shaft b2, which extends through the wall of the explosion-chamber,being herein shown as having a bearing in a projection b3, properly secured to the outside Wall of the explosionchamber. It is obvious, therefore, that if the 'said shaft is rocked in its bearing in the proper direction it Will move the terminal l), which projects from the axis of said shaft, away from the terminal a, so as to break the circuit and produce a spark. To produce such a movement of the rock-shaft, the said shaft is provided with a radial projection or shoulder b4, projecting therefrom into the path of the engaging projection d of the actuator, the said shoulder being near the rockshaft, so as to constitute a short lever-arm, by the movement yof which the terminal b is caused to move a considerable distance away from the terminal a. The said rock-shaft is shown as normally held in such a position as to maintain the circuit closed by means of a spring b5, connected at one end to the projection from said rock-shaft on which the shoulder b4 is formed and at the other end to a fixed portion of the engine, such as a projecton'b, which may be secured to the cylinder Vfor the purpose. In the travel of the engaging portion d, therefore, it is obvious that the saidv engaging portion as it passes the rockshaft will strike the shoulder b4, rocking the shaft until the said projection cl rides over the edge of the shoulder, at which time the terminals are separated to their fullest extent.

rlhe tendency of the spring b5 is to restore the terminals to their normal position, and

in order to control such restoration and prevent the said spring from snapping the terminals together the projection on which the shoulder b4 is formed is provided with asupplemental engaging portion la7, which is shaped 4Ttofollow the path of the engaging portion d,

being herein Vshown as curved, so that the said engaging portion d travels along the projection 197 until the two terminals are in contact with each other. The two terminals therefore Will be gradually d-rawn together by the stress of the spring controlled by the engagement of the projection dwith'the arm or projection bT and will be in contact before the projection has passed out of engagement with the arm.

In igniting devices for use in gas-engines it is desirable that the spark should occur a little later With relation to the cycle of operations of the engine when the same is being started than is the case when full speed is attained. To this end the projection d, which engages with the shoulder b4, is in accordance with the present invention capable of being shifted with relation to the actuator c, whereby it is carried, so that while the said actuator moves in its usual Way the projection d will be caused to engage the shoulder and produce the spark at a somewhat-later period in the cycle of operations. To accomplish this, the projection d is herein shown as elongated or oval in cross-section, the upper end d2 of said oval being adapted to engage the shoulder h4. v The said projection is shown as mounted on a spindle d3, extending through the end of the arm c, and secured, as by nuts d4, so that the projection d is capable of pivotal movement on the said spindle. Connected to the said projection d is an arm ICO IIO

d5, having a thumb-piece d6 and an opening adapted to cooperate with a projection or stop d" upon the actuator-arm c, the said arm d5 normally standing, asl shown, adjacent to the actuator-arm and held in position with relation thereto by means of the stop (Z7. If, however, the said arm is disengaged and swung away from the actuator c, it is obvious that the projection d will be turned so that the engaging portion d2 thereof will be moved to the rear with relation to the path of its movement andwill consequently engage the shoulder b4 at a later period than the normal period in the cycle of operations. As soon as the engine has reached speed, however, the operator can readily restore the parts to their normal position by moving the arm d5 to its original position.

It is not intended to limit the invention to the specific construction herein shown and described, since obvious modifications may be made without depart-ing from the invention.

I claiml. A circuit-breakercomprisingaiixcd terminal, a movable terminal provided with an engaging portion; means for yieldingly holding said movable terminal in contact with the Xed terminal; and a traveling actuator adapted to engage said engaging portion and by its first engagement to quickly separate the terminals, the path of said actuator being such that the actuator remains in engagement and controls the return movement of said movable terminal so as topermit the gradual Y restoration thereof, the terminal being substantially wholly restored before the actuator is out ot' engagement. j

2. A circuit-breaker comprising a fixed terminal, a movable terminal consisting of a finger proje'cting radially from a rock-shaft, means for yieldingly holding said movable terminal in contact with the fixed terminal, an arm or projection connected with said rock-shaft, and a traveling actuator arranged to initially engage said arm at a point near said rock-shaft and to travel along in engagement with said arm, the path ot' movement of said actuator being such as to permit the gradual restoration' of said arm to its normal position, as set forth.

,3. The herein-described circuit-breaker or igniting device which comprises a fixed terminal, a movable terminal, an actuator for said movable terminal, an engaging portion of said movable terminal projecting across the path of said actuator, and a supplemental engaging portion, the surface of saidengaging portion and the path of said actuating device approachingV each other in the direction of movement of the latter, substantially as described.

4. The herein described circuit breaker which comprises a stationary electric terminal, a movable terminal normally in contact therewith, an actuator for said movable terminal, an engaging portion of said movable terminal in the path of said actuator, and a supplemental engaging portion adjacent to the main engaging portionand adapted to be engaged by said actuator in the return movement of the movable terminal until said movable terminal is substantially restored to contact with said stationary terminal, substantially as described. Y

5. An igniting device for gas-engines comprising a stationary electric terminal within the cylinder or explosion-chamber of the engine, a movable terminal normally in contact therewith, an actuator for said movable terminal, anl engaging portion of said movable terminal in the path of the said actuator, a

engaged by said actuator in the return movement of the movable terminal until said movable terminal is substantially restored to contact with said stationary terminal, operating means for producing a continuous movement of said actuator, and a device for shifting the position of said actuator with relation to such operating means, substantially as described.

6. In an igniting device for gas-engines, the combination with a stationary terminal within the cylinder or explosion-chamber of the engine, of a movable terminal normally in contact therewith but adapted to be moved therefrom to break the circuit and cause a spark, a rock-shaft or pivotal support for said movable terminal, an arm secured to said rock-shaft, an engaging device for said arm adapted to be moved along a curved path, a-

shoulder on said arm extending into said path, and an extension of said arm beyond said shoulder curved to substantially conform to the path in which the engaging projection travels, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. In an igni-ting device for a gas-engine, the combination with a stationary terminal within the cylinder of the engine, of a movable terminal comprising a pivotally-supported arm adapted to be swung on its pivot to and from said stationary terminal, an operatingarm connected to and pivoted coaxially with said terminal arm, a lever provided at one end with an eccentric-strap adapted to coperate with an eccentric on the main shaft of the engine, a projection at the other end of said lever adapted during the movement thereof to engage said operating-arm for the igniting device, a guide pivotally connected to said lever and adapted to move in a rectilinear direction whereby the end of said lever which carries the engaging portion is caused to move in a curved path, a shoulder on the arm which operates the igniting device near the pivotal axis thereof and in the path of the said projection, and a curved portion of said arm beyond said shoulder, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In an igniting device for gas-engines, the combination with a circuit-breaker having a .xed terminal within the cylinder of the engine, of a movable terminal mounted on a rock-shaft in a Wall of said cylinder, an arm secured to said rock-shaft outside of the said cylinder, a lever provided at one end with an eccentric adapted to cooperate with an eccentric on the main shaft of the engine, an engaging device at the opposite end of said lever adapted to engage said arm, a guide or cross-head for said lever whereby the said engaging projection is adapted to travel on a ICO IIO

curved path, a shoulder on said arm eXtend- Y ing into the path of travel ot said projection and adapted to be engaged thereby to rock the said rock-shaft to separate the electric terminals, a curved engaging portion on said armlbeyond the said shoulder in the path of In testimony whereof I have signed my travel of said projection to permit the gradname to this specication in the presence of ual return movement thereof, a restoringtwo subscribing Witnesses.

spring for said arm, and means for shifting JOHN A; OSTENBERG. 5 the position of the engaging projection with Witnesses:

relation to said lever, substantially as and for I-I. J .f LIVERMORE,

the purpose described. NANCY P. FORD. 

